$46 million college football coach emerges as a favorite to be named LSU HC

While LSU and Florida await a decision from Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, another SEC coach has emerged as a top candidate for the Tigers.

Nov 15, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers interim head coach Frank Wilson III looks on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

LSU is one of the premier openings in the college football coaching carousel. The Tigers have been linked to Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, but LSU is battling Florida for the coveted coach.

There is also the very realistic chance that Kiffin could remain at Ole Miss. LSU is now being linked to another SEC coach with Kiffin's future in flux.

Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz has been a favorite to land the Penn State job. Drinkwitz is also emerging as a favorite at LSU.

The Missouri coach's odds to be LSU's selection has jumped in recent days. Drinkwitz now has a 20% chance to be named the LSU coach, per Kalshi.

Eli Drinkwitz opens his weekly press conference addressing speculation regarding his future at Mizzou:

"I'm not going to comment on message board chatter, tweets, sources."

"All of this stuff is just a distraction."

"We absolutely love Mizzou, we love what we are building." pic.twitter.com/7Ew1Op9b3j

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) November 18, 2025

Kiffin is still the LSU favorite at 27%, but Drinkwitz is narrowing the gap. Just one day earlier, Drinkwitz's chances were listed at 11%.

Let's explore the latest news and rumors amid LSU's coaching search.

LSU's drama could impact the program's coaching search

LSU's politics playing out publicly amid the program's coaching search is less than ideal. Louisiana governor Jeff Landry has become a public-facing figure in LSU's coaching search. There is also the lawsuit between Brian Kelly and LSU over his buyout.

Later, at same presser Landry went off on how several ADs and coaches are repped by the same agent https://t.co/d2eanxXr9l pic.twitter.com/ChileyFNQt

— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) October 29, 2025

Despite all the drama, LSU is still an elite college football program with plenty of appeal. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman detailed why Drinkwitz is a potential candidate at LSU.

"Drinkwitz is also expected to be in play," Feldman wrote on Oct. 26. "He’s proven to be a very good coach who can handle the spotlight.

"The 42-year-old Arkansas native has been terrific in six years at Missouri, going 27-7 over the past three seasons, which is very impressive when you consider that the Tigers have had only four top-15 seasons in almost 50 years. He’s also an excellent offensive coach at a program that has sputtered offensively this season."

Missouri HC Eli Drinkwitz is among the favorites to be LSU's next coach

Drinkwitz has won 28 games and counting during the last three seasons at Missouri. The coach has done more with less, keeping Missouri in the mix in a challenging SEC landscape.

LSU arranged for a private plane to pick up several of Lane Kiffin’s family members to fly to Baton Rouge and tour the city on Monday 👀 pic.twitter.com/q7Rt5I0Gau

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 17, 2025

During the offseason, Drinkwitz inked a $46.5 million contract with Missouri that is slated to run through 2029, per USA Today. Much has been made about Kiffin's family's recent visit to LSU, but Drinkwitz should also be viewed as a serious candidate in Baton Rouge.

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